R. Kelly’s Request for Home Detention Denied by Federal Judge

On June 19, 2025, a federal judge in Chicago denied R. Kelly’s request to be released to home detention.
The judge ruled that she lacks the jurisdiction to address the singer’s claims that federal authorities are plotting to kill him while he is in prison.
Kelly’s attorneys had filed an emergency motion earlier in the month, asserting that his life is in danger as he serves a 30-year sentence for various s*x crimes.

Allegations of Conspiracy and Threats

In their motion, Kelly’s legal team claimed that his former cellmate at the federal facility in Chicago conspired with prison officials to intercept mail between Kelly and his attorneys.
They alleged that this mail was turned over to prosecutors before his trial on child pornography charges.
This action was purportedly intended to manipulate Kelly’s former girlfriend against him.

Additionally, the motion included allegations that prison officials recruited an inmate who is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood to kill Kelly while he is incarcerated in North Carolina.
The alleged motive for this plot was to prevent Kelly from exposing the conspiracy to steal his mail and to turn witnesses against him.

Pleas for Presidential Intervention

Alongside their request for home confinement, Kelly’s attorneys made a public appeal to President Trump to secure his release.
This plea highlights the ongoing efforts by Kelly’s legal team to garner support from influential figures in the political sphere.

Court’s Ruling and Jurisdiction Issues

The federal judge overseeing Kelly’s criminal case in Chicago initially scheduled a hearing for Friday.
However, on Thursday, she denied the motion, stating that she does not have the authority to rule on Kelly’s claims regarding a federal murder plot.
U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold explained that since Kelly has already been convicted and sentenced, her jurisdiction is limited, primarily concerning challenges to his conviction or sentence.

Judge Pacold noted that Kelly is currently housed at FCI Butner in North Carolina, which is outside her judicial district.
She stated that Kelly failed to demonstrate a legal basis for the court’s jurisdiction over his claims.
As a result, his emergency motion was denied.

Prosecutors’ Response to Kelly’s Claims

Federal prosecutors responded to Kelly’s motion by characterizing his claims as “repugnant” to the sentence imposed for his serious offenses.
They argued that Kelly refuses to accept responsibility for years of s*xually abusing children and is using the court proceedings to promote himself without any legal basis for being before the court.

Additional Claims of Medical Negligence

Kelly’s attorneys also claimed that after filing the emergency motion, he received a life-threatening overdose of medication from prison officials.
They alleged that he was subsequently removed from the hospital against the advice of medical professionals.
This situation has raised further concerns about the treatment Kelly is receiving while incarcerated.

Background on R. Kelly’s Convictions

R. Kelly, now 58 years old, was convicted in 2022 in Chicago on charges related to child pornography.
He was accused of creating videos that depicted him s*xually abusing three teenage girls, including his 14-year-old goddaughter.
In addition, a federal jury in New York convicted him of racketeering and s*x trafficking in 2021.
This conviction found him guilty of running a criminal enterprise aimed at s*xually exploiting young women and children.

Both of Kelly’s convictions have been upheld by federal appeals courts.
He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the New York case, while most of his 20-year sentence from the Chicago case runs concurrently with his New York term.
Currently, Kelly is serving his sentence at a medium-security federal correctional center in Butner, North Carolina.

Expected Release Date

R. Kelly is expected to be released from prison on December 21, 2045, when he will be nearly 79 years old.
His ongoing legal battles and the recent denial of his request for home detention continue to draw media attention and public interest.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how Kelly’s legal team will respond to the court’s ruling and what steps they will take next in their efforts to secure his release.
The complexities of his case highlight the challenges faced by individuals in the criminal justice system, particularly those with high-profile backgrounds and serious allegations against them.